Aerosol dispensers are well known in the art. Aerosol dispensers typically comprise an outer container which acts as a frame for the remaining components and as a pressure vessel for propellant and product contained therein. Outer containers made of metal are well known in the art. However, metal containers can be undesirable due to high cost and limited recyclability. Attempts to use plastic have occurred in the art. Relevant attempts in the art to employ plastic in aerosol dispensers are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,863,699; 3,333,743; 9,296,550 and 2009/0014679.
The outer containers are typically, but not necessarily, cylindrical. The outer container may comprise a bottom for resting on horizontal surfaces such as shelves, countertops, tables etc. The bottom of the outer container may comprise a re-entrant portion as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,403,804 or base cup as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 9,061,795. Sidewalls defining the shape of the outer container extend upwardly from the bottom to an open top.
The open top defines a neck for receiving additional components of the aerosol dispenser. The industry has generally settled upon a nominal neck diameter of 2.54 cm, for standardization of components among various manufacturers, although smaller diameters, such as 20 mm, are also used. Various neck shapes are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,019,252; 7,303,087; 7,028,866 and 7,279,207.
Typically a valve cup is inserted into the neck. The valve cup is sealed against the neck to prevent the escape of the propellant and loss of pressurization, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,074,847; 8,096,327; 8,844,765 and 8,869,842. The valve cup holds the valve components which are movable in relationship to the balance of the aerosol dispenser. Suitable valves are shown in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,511,522 and 9,132,955.
Aerosol dispensers, having a valve cup and movable valve components, may comprise different embodiments for holding, storing, and dispensing product used by the consumer. In one embodiment, the product and propellant are intermixed. When the user actuates the valve, the product and propellant are dispensed together. This embodiment may utilize a dip tube. The dip tube takes the product and propellant mixture from the bottom of the outer container. This embodiment may be used, for example, to dispense shaving cream foams.
A bag may be used to contain product for selective dispensing by a user. Dispensing of product from the bag occurs in response to the user actuating the valve. The bag separates product within the bag from propellant disposed between the bag and container.
Particularly, a collapsible, flexible bag may be sealed to the opening on the underside of the valve cup or may be placed between the valve cup and the container. This bag limits or even prevents intermixing of the contents of the bag and the components outside of the bag. Thus, product may be contained in the bag. Propellant may be disposed between the outside of the bag and the inside of the outer container. Upon actuation of the valve, a flow path out of the bag is created. This embodiment is commonly called a bag in can and may be used, for example, in dispensing shaving cream gels. Alternatively, a bag may be directly joined to the valve housing, in a configuration commonly called a bag on valve.
An aerosol container having a bag therein may be made from a dual layer preform, having plural layers disposed one inside the other. Relevant attempts in the art include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,450,254; 4,330,066; 6,254,820; RE 30093 E; WO 9108099 and US 2011/0248035 A1. But each of these attempts requires a separate operation to attach the bag to the relevant component. Each attachment step takes time in manufacturing and creates the opportunity for leakage if not correctly performed.
If a valve is to be assembled into an aerosol, typically the valve cup is crimped onto the neck of the aerosol container. But this operation is expensive and is difficult to perform with a plastic valve cup.
A separate interlock may be used to attach a valve assembly to a valve cup, particularly a plastic valve assembly and plastic valve cup are used. Suitable interlocks include bayonet fittings and threads. But these interlocks require complex manufacturing steps to facilitate the compound motion.
Accordingly, this application is directed to solving the problem of attaching a plastic bag to an appropriate component of an aerosol container.